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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26417410">Culmination</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillammon/pseuds/Phillammon'>Phillammon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sleepless Domain (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, I am here to make you sad, Imminent Death, Peril, grim, you know it works out okay in the end but damn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 13:02:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>332</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26417410</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillammon/pseuds/Phillammon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There are few more sobering realisations than that you are, in the next few seconds, going to die.</p><p>That at least gives you a little time to think.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kokoro | Heartful Punch/Undine Wells | Alchemical Water</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Culmination</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  
</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There's something about the prospect of immediate and unavoidable death that focuses the mind wonderfully.</p><p>People get hurt doing this job. People I know got hurt doing this. <i>Mingxing</i> got hurt doing this. But there was always some part of me that thought I was better than that. That I was stronger, faster, smarter. That I was indestructible. That I'd do better than them.</p><p>That dad was wrong.</p><p>Branchlike limbs ensnare me, thorny hands clasp shut over my eyes. Distantly, I am aware that Undine- panicking, stunned, melting down- is going to be the last thing I ever see. I can't bring myself to think about me, right now. Anything to distract myself from... what's happening. The current situation. Distractions are good. Distractions like Undine.</p><p>Founder. Undine. She's barely holding herself together from her team dying, and now I'm doing <i>this</i> to her? This is going to shatter her. It's going to break her apart and it's going to be all my fault and I won't be there to help pick up the pieces this time. It almost feels selfish. This is <s>a girl that came to me for help and I'm</s> <s>a girl who trusts me to help her and I'm</s> <s>a girl I care about and I'm</s> <i>damnit, Kokoro, if there's ever a time to be honest with yourself it's now</i> a girl I have fallen for, and I'm going to destroy her because I'm not strong enough. Because I'm not fast enough. Because I'm too stupid to dodge the most obvious feint.</p><p>Because I didn't care enough. Because I didn't do what I promised her. Because she put her faith in me and I betrayed it. Because I died.</p><p>Mom, I'm sorry.<br/>
<br/>
Dad, I'm so sorry.<br/>
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Undine, I'm so, so sorry. Please hold together. Please don't let this be the end for you too. Please forgive me. Please don't forget me. Please have loved me too.<br/>
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</p><p>I will myself to stop thinking, and wait for my life to end.<br/>
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</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  
</p></blockquote></div></div>
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